This invention relates to cable connectors, and more particularly to a connector by which to facilitate the interconnection of the loop ends of a pair of cables.
Among the many industrial applications which utilize cables provided with eye splice or rolled splice loops at one or both ends, wide spread use of such cables is found in the logging industry. It is common practice to provide quite a few small diameter steel cables, in relatively short lengths of 100-300 feet, with eye splice or rolled splice loops at their opposite ends, for connection together to make a single length cable for extension many hundreds of feet into the forest. Such short lengths of cable are sufficiently light in weight as to be carried conveniently by an individual, where much greater lengths of such cables would have to be delivered into the forest by a tractor or other powered means. Thus, the shorter lengths of cables may be transported manually to desired sites where they may be interconnected to create the desired overall length by forming interconnected secondary loops of the adjacent loop ends of successive cables.
Heretofore, each of a pair of loop-ended cables, inwardly of its end loop, has been threaded through an opening in the end of a connector body opposite a hook, the opening extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the connector body and hook. A single knot then is made in the cable across the body adjacent the transverse opening. The hook serves to receive releasably therein the outer end of the cable loop, whereby the loops at the ends of the pair of cables may be formed into secondary loops which have been looped together.
The single knot thus formed to secure the connector in permanent position, forms a bulky mass of cable. This bulky mass tends to snag on stumps, branches, rocks and other external objects as the interconnected cable is drawn over the ground. The bulky mass of the knot also presents an obstruction to the passage of the cables over pulleys as are employed in the normal logging operations. Still further, the bulky mass is subject to excessive wear which contributes to premature breaking of the cable.